The Beastmaster (1982)

User Rating:

5.7/10   

Director:

Don Coscarelli

Writers:

Don Coscarelli (written by)
Paul Pepperman (written by)
(more)

Release Date:

20 August 1982 (USA)

Genre:

Fantasy | Action | Adventure

Plot:

A sword-and-sorcery fantasy about a young man's search for revenge. Armed with supernatural powers, the handsome hero and his animal allies wage war against marauding forces.

Plot Keywords:

Magic | Village | Dog | Sword And Sorcery | Pyre

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Marc Singer	...	Dar
Tanya Roberts	...	Kiri
Rip Torn	...	Maax
John Amos	...	Seth
Joshua Milrad	...	Tal (as Josh Milrad)
Rod Loomis	...	King Zed
Ben Hammer	...	Young Dar's Father
Ralph Strait	...	Sacco
Billy Jayne	...	Young Dar (as Billy Jacoby)
Janet DeMay	...	Witchwoman #1
Christine Kellogg	...	Witchwoman #2
Janet Jones	...	Witchwoman #3
Tony Epper	...	Jun Leader
Vanna Bonta	...	Zed's Wife
Kim Tabet	...	Sacco's Daughter
Daniel Zormeier	...	Winged Creature Leader
Jim Driggers	...	Hanging Priests
Mick Thibodeau	...	Hanging Priests
Paul Reynolds	...	Tils
Monty L. Simons	...	Zed's Guard (as Monty Simons)
Bruce Paul Barbour	...	Marauders (as Bruce Barbour)
Diamond Farnsworth	...	Marauders
Linda Smith	...	Kiri's Friend
Henry Carbo	...	Man in Cage
Jonathan Gravish	...	Death Guard Priests
Don Heyn	...	Death Guard Priests
Larry Randles	...	Death Guard Rider
Vince Deadrick Sr.	...	Guard on Parapet
Tim Dunlavey	...	Young Villager
Jeremy Whelan	...	Jun Priest
Billy Hank Hooker	...	Jun Priest
George Scott	...	Jun Priest
Tommy J. Huff	...	Jun Priest (as Tom Huff)
Dale Shawver	...	Jun Priest
Richard Humphreys	...	Jun Priest
Hugh Armstrong	...	Jun Priest
Mike Kirton	...	Jun Priest
Eddy Donno	...	Jun Priest (as Eddie Donno)
Gary McLarty	...	Jun Priest
Eddie Hice	...	Jun Priest
Fess Reynolds	...	Jun Priest
Freddie Hice	...	Jun Priest
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Chuck Hicks	...	Boatman (uncredited)

Directed by
Don Coscarelli

Writing credits
Don Coscarelli		(written by) &
Paul Pepperman		(written by)
Andre Norton		novel "The Beast Master" (uncredited)

Produced by
Donald P. Borchers	....	associate producer
Naser el-Attasy	....	executive producer (as Nader Atassi)
Frank K. Isaac	....	assistant producer (as Frank K. Isaac Jr.)
Nikita Knatz	....	associate producer
Paul Pepperman	....	producer
Sylvio Tabet	....	executive producer
Sylvio Tabet	....	producer
Don Coscarelli	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Lee Holdridge

Cinematography by
John Alcott

Film Editing by
Roy Watts

Casting by
Joe Reich

Production Design by
Conrad E. Angone

Art Direction by
William Strom		(as Bill Strom)

Set Decoration by
Deborah Moreland

Costume Design by
Betty Pecha Madden

Makeup Department
Tara Candoli	....	makeup artist
Louis Lazzara	....	makeup artist
Louis Lazzara	....	makeup artist: second unit
David B. Miller	....	makeup special effects artist
William Munns	....	special makeup designer
Mark Shostrom	....	special makeup effects artist
Peter Tothpal	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Tom Benko	....	executive in charge of post-production
Lester Berman	....	production manager: second unit
Thomas M. Hammel	....	unit production manager
Peter Jordan	....	production manager
Roberto A. Quezada	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Lester Berman	....	first assistant director: second unit
Cary Glieberman	....	first assistant director
Richard Graves	....	second assistant director (as Tichard N. Graves)
Donald Newman	....	second assistant director: second unit
James Sbardellati	....	first assistant director
Charles Bail	....	second unit director (uncredited)

Art Department
Linda Lou Agnelli	....	property manager
John Cassel	....	construction foreman
David De Carlo	....	set dresser: second unit
David E. Harshbarger	....	assistant property master
Mary Herman	....	set dresser
Jack Hoxworth	....	construction manager
Kini Kay	....	props
Escott O. Norton	....	assistant set decorator
John Villarino	....	propmaker
David Wasco	....	assistant to production designer

Sound Department
Dennis Berry	....	sound producer
Paul B. Clay	....	sound designer
Jeremy Hoenack	....	sound designer
David J. Hudson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Mel Metcalfe	....	sound re-recording mixer
Tally Pavlos	....	adr supervisor
Anthony Santa Croce	....	sound mixer
Edward M. Steidele	....	foley artist
Clancy T. Troutman	....	supervising sound editor
Ray West	....	sound re-recording mixer

Special Effects by
Frank DeMarco	....	special effects
Roger George	....	special effects
Bill McCamey	....	pyrotechnician (uncredited)
R. Bruce Steinheimer	....	special effects technician (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Allen Blaisdell	....	visual effects
William Cruse	....	visual effects
William Guest	....	visual effects supervisor
Michael Minor	....	special visual effects consultant
Bruno George	....	optical camera operator (uncredited)

Stunts
Steve Boyum	....	stunt coordinator
Hank Calia	....	stunts
Erik Cord	....	stunts
Kerrie Cullen	....	stunts
David R. Ellis	....	stunts
Gary Epper	....	stunts
Jeannie Epper	....	stunts
Bill Hart	....	stunts
Gary Jensen	....	stunts
Gray Johnson	....	stunts
Al Jones	....	stunts
Fred Lerner	....	stunts
Mike H. McGaughy	....	stunts
John Meier	....	stunts
Bob Minor	....	stunts
Greg Moonyham	....	stunts
Frank Orsatti	....	stunts
Chuck Picerni Jr.	....	stunts
Jon Conrad Pochron	....	stunts
Bobby Porter	....	stunts
Bryan Renfro	....	stunts
John Romano	....	stunts
Philip Romano	....	stunts
Ronnie Rondell Jr.	....	stunts
Rick Sawaya	....	stunts
Monty L. Simons	....	stunts
Bob Terhune	....	stunts
Steve Vandeman	....	stunts
Buddy Van Horn	....	stunts
George P. Wilbur	....	stunts
Henry Wills	....	stunts
Jerry Wills	....	stunts
Whitey Hughes	....	stunts (uncredited)
Gene LeBell	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bennie Moore	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Dennis Grow	....	gaffer
Joel King	....	photographer: second unit
Julio Macat	....	focus puller
Douglas F. O'Neons	....	camera operator
Daniel Pearl	....	second camera operator
Gregory Peters	....	electrician
Bill Richert	....	still photographer
John Sarka	....	key grip
Kenji Takama	....	assistant camera
Kenji Takama	....	camera intern
Gary Thieltges	....	first assistant camera
Arthur Krauss	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Joe Woo Jr.	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Alf Clausen	....	orchestrator
David Franco	....	music supervisor
Lee Holdridge	....	orchestrator
Stephen E. Hope	....	music editor
Greig McRitchie	....	orchestrator
David Franco	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
James D. Young	....	music editor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Noel Steve Geray	....	driver
Mike Kirton	....	driver
Paul Tompkins	....	transportation manager (as Paul F. Tompkins)

Other crew
Vic Anselmo	....	sword maker
Bret Culpepper	....	miniture sets builder
Helene Harris	....	production coordinator
Mischa Hausserman	....	aerial coordinator
Brian McMillan	....	animal trainer
Boone Narr	....	head wrangler (as Boone Naar)
Dan Peterson	....	location manager
Bryan Renfro	....	eagle trainer
Paul 'Sled' Reynolds	....	trainer
William C. Rivers	....	head wrangler
Jeanne Rosenberg	....	script supervisor
Garrison Singer	....	unit accountant
Michael Thomas Slifkin	....	talent coordinator
Patience Thoreson	....	script supervisor: second unit

Production Companies

• Beastmaster NV
• Ecta Productions
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Distributors

• S.N. Prodis (1983) (France) (theatrical)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (USA) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (USA) (VHS)
• Big Sky Video (Australia) (DVD)
• F.J. Lucas (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
• Starlight

Special Effects

• Cruse & Company (miniature photography)

Other Companies

• American Humane Association, The  monitored animal activity
• CAM Music  soundtrack
• Gentle Jungle  animals supplied by
• Optrex  titles and opticals
• Pros', The  sound design
• Pros', The  sound effects

Also Known As:

Beastmaster - Der Befreier (West Germany)

Runtime:

118 min | Germany:90 min (25 fps) (video version)

Country:

USA | West Germany

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Singapore:NC-16 | USA:PG (certificate #26762) | South Korea:15 | Australia:M | Finland:K-18 | Norway:15 | Norway:16 (original rating) | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | West Germany:12 | Iceland:12

Filming Locations:

Lake Pyramid, California, USA

Company:

Beastmaster NV

Trivia:

Don Coscarelli sold off his rights on the story and characters. He has no involvement with the sequels, nor the TV-series, and doesn't see any money from them.

Goofs:

Continuity: In Dar's confrontation with the "eagle men," he has his sword out and at the ready - but in all of the over-the-shoulder shots, the sword hilt can be plainly seen in the scabbard on his back.

Quotes:

Dar: I'm Dar.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Dangerous Days: Making Blade Runner (2007) (V)

fun fantasy flick

Like most I missed the theatrical run on this film, who didn't? I caught it on cable. I believe Dennis Miller had a running joke about HBO meaning "Hey Beastmaster' on!" This isn't agreat film, there are a lot of very obvious red herrings, but it's a lot of fun and certainly has earned it's cult status.

This sword and sorcery plot is well handled by Don Coscarelli and he directs his good looking leads, Marc Singer & Tanya Roberts, well. The photography on John Alcott is excellent and one of the highlights of the film. Lee Holdrigde's original score and Alf Clausens orchestrations are absolutely superb. Truly I thought the music was excellent. It's epic, memorable and so suited to the scenes!

For a film called the Beastmaster, its smart enough not to ignore the animals. The ferrets are cute, and yes ferrets are like that!, the Tiger (black panther) is fierce and the Hawk is mysterious, yet so graceful. I thought Marc Singer (Dar's) rapport with the animals was just great. The final fight with the Juns is fantastic in it's use of lighting and movement.

This film really should appeal to teenage boys and on that level it succeeds beautifully.